REVIEW: Springfield Symphony Orchestra "Variation and Virtuosity"

Symphony Hall, Springfield MA

www.springfieldsymphony.org

May 3, 2025

by Lisa Covi

Marcelo Lehninger served as guest conductor for the last subscription concert of the 2024-2025 season (there will be an additional free Juneteenth Concert). Moving from the contemporary to the 19th century, the program achieved its desired theme of transformation not only in the musical presentation but by transfixing the audience with dynamic performances. Although the hall seemed less than half full, attendees received the program enthusiastically.

The first selection, "Temporal Variations (Beethoven Revisited)," was written by Ronaldo Miranda in 2014. Perhaps it takes a Brazilian-native conductor to deliver this Brazilian composer's lesser-known interpretation of variations in both tempo and our human experience of time through the weather. Lehninger chose this piece for the program to complement Beethoven's symphony since it includes quotes from several of his sonatas.

 

Through liberal use of the percussion section, whipcracks, xylophone and marimba punctuated the transitions between sweet pastoral melodies and atonal passages. The winds and horn section were in fine fettle, and though small in number, they blended well with the multitude of strings to lead fine call and responses.

Appearing only for the second selection, guest pianist Natasha Paremski was as strong as the golden vision of her personal presentation. Her piano technique demonstrated mastery of the Rachmananoff "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43". She demonstrated the strength to articulate the piano against the swell of the orchestra, the dexterity to play the proliferation of runs and frequent crossovers flawlessly and the ability to deliver intonation to convey the emotion of the familiar theme. The orchestra seemed to breathe as one with the soloist producing goose pimples and hair-raising mellifluousness.

The final selection was Beethoven's "Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92". Regarded by the composer as one of his best works, dance rhythms propelled celebratory motifs throughout each of the four movements. The performance vibrated with mastery and passion as a favorite for both musician and classical music audiophile. The hallmarks of Beethoven – tonal shifts between major keys, the drama of timpani thunder and the forceful dramatic coda in the loudest forte fortissimo – invited toe-tapping and armchair conductors to unite themselves to the endeavor.